Our planet’s amazing web of biodiversity needs some TLC: Teen Leaders in Conservation! 

In March 2024, we launched this new program as an outgrowth of our former Youth Advisory Council and NxtGen microgrants program. Our goal is to support teens from under-resourced communities in Washington, DC in connecting with nature and developing career skills such as public speaking, proposal writing, and project management as they build their confidence to tackle environmental action projects at school and in their communities.  

We are currently piloting TLC with middle school students at two independent tuition-free schools (the Washington School for Girls and the Washington Jesuit Academy) and with high school students at two DC Public Schools (Cardozo Education Campus and Roosevelt High School.) 

More than 70 teens at these schools are busy this spring learning about their environment and taking action to plan litter cleanups and nature field trips, transform barren garden beds into wildlife habitat, and teach younger students about the environment.  

We are thrilled to have environmental educator, Carl Brown, on the team working with these amazing teens!